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The Importance of Ice-hockey Here Highlighted by NHL Draft Picks

News last weekend that the Boston Bruins and two additional National Hockey League teams have chosen Charlestown skaters to play for them in their annual draft is an extraordinary event in every way.

First of all, being chosen to play professional hockey if you are a skater is a life consuming task and one must have all the requisites – talent, skill, speed, quick thinking and hockey bones, so to speak.

Even with all those, getting chosen to play for an NHL team is virtually a Herculean task without guarantees of any kind no matter how good you are.

Throughout the decades, Charlestown was always a high school hockey power to deal with. And over the years, Charlestown hockey produced some memorable teams and powerful skaters.

Such is the case this year with three NHL draft choices of three Charlestown skaters.

Matt Grzelcyk, Brendan Collier and John Vesey, all sons of this town, have been chosen to play for NHL teams. Grzelcyk was picked by the Bruins. Collier by Carolina and Vesey by Nashville.

Grzelcyk and Collier will be attending college at Boston University, Vesey will be attending Harvard. They are not just great skaters, they are also bright young men.

We congratulate all of them on this achievement.

We congratulate their families in having the perseverance, the tough work ethic and the athletic and academic skill to rise so high at such a young age.

We wish them all the best of luck – and we will follow their careers and delight in their achievements.

Three Charlestown skaters chosen by the NHL! That’s a slice of Charlestown for you.